


The Destination is You

by Lyricmuse



Series: Soul Verses [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 15:52:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11188395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyricmuse/pseuds/Lyricmuse
Summary: Serpent Jughead decides the fate of his relationship with Betty.





	The Destination is You

**Author's Note:**

> 3rd part of the series.  
> Featuring another breakup poem, which I wrote back then (me is a stubborn kid in the day)
> 
> I do not own any of the Riverdale/ Archie Comics characters.

It’s past 3:00 AM, and Betty knows she would only be getting 3 hours of sleep before waking up again to face school and that awful graduate send off party. But she does not care. She can almost hear her mom’s words. “Betty, your eyes look terrible! Didn’t I tell you to get at least 8 hours sleep.”, all the while helping her dab foundation on the circles under her eyes. Those bags certainly found home in there, she muses to herself.  


The past 5 months have been terrible for her which all started when FP Jones got himself arrested.  


God, Betty hated that day; if she could, she would re-write the events and leave that entirely out from history – from their story.  


That arrest is the reason why everything became so hard for her. It was the reason why everything went downhill for him. It was the reason why now, there’s “her” and “him” and not “they”.  


It was the reason why he had to wear that cursed jacket in the first place.  


-o0o-  


At first, she understood. She knows, there is a reason why Jughead had to don the jacket. It was a blanket of protection.  


If not for the jacket, Jughead would not be able to find his place in that school. It had been a given; Jughead’s brooding persona, with his luscious hair and deep set eyes and aquiline nose, he’d be a standout. But not a good standout. Jughead, try as he might to blend in, is a marked man. The “Northern-ized” kid from the Southside. His quiet demeanor will not be seen as depth, it’ll be perceived as timidity. His intellect will not be seen as a good quality – it’ll be perceived as being a know-it-all. That dry humor of his? It will never be regarded funny, but rather pride. And Betty can only imagine, he’ll be bullied, day in and day out.  


It’s one reason she understood.  


-o0o-  


If not for that jacket, Jughead will not have the trailer park ready to take him whenever he ran away from his foster home. The first few weeks of his arrangement, he tried so hard to please his foster family. He had to sit still when they ordered him to; to eat the food on the table and mingle with them, and be able to fit in their refined lifestyle and cultured manners – as he also tried to endure the constant ridicule of being called the son of a criminal. He bit his tongue, whenever they would go on tirade about his father – irresponsible FP Jones II, who dared bring forth children into the world to add in the multitude of juvenile statistics. When he can’t take it any longer, he ran away, and because of that jacket, he was welcomed into the houses of the Serpents – where there was always some scrappy food he can consume (though not enjoy), and a roof over his head, shielding him from snow and rain.  


If not also for the jacket, his foster parents would have ran straight to the social service to report his whereabouts. But now they held their tongues – if they want to keep those intact. And so Jughead enjoys his independence, with the additional bonus of the monthly social service allowance.  


That’s another reason she understood.  


-o0o-  


But if not for the jacket, Jughead will also not want to leave her side. Jughead will not be tagged as a town menace by the people he used to call “his” community. Jughead would not have to face the sideward glances whenever he walks around town. He wouldn’t have to endure the constant whispers whenever we steps into a store.  


If not for that damned jacket, Archie would not have pulled Jughead on the side of the road, and punched him in the face, demanding that he admit to the crime he is now guilty of, by association – that is shooting Fred Andrews. And Jughead, try as he might to reason with his best pal of more than a decade, cannot even diminish the pain that Archie feels, the worst kind, of losing a parent forever. And because of that jacket, Jughead cannot fully retire in his sleep, as he dreams of redheads, and guns and his hands covered in blood.  


Because deep down, Jughead knows, it will only be a matter of time, when he will don that jacket again, and be swept under a tide of horrors.  


And so, Jughead did the unthinkable – and went on to wear that jacket, and step away from Betty. Slowly, painfully, determinedly away. She knows in her heart, he thinks it is to shield her from him. He is saving her from him.  


And THAT is a reason she can never understand.  


-o0o-  


5 months. It’s been 5 months since he had last spoken to her.  


It was a rainy night, much like this, and he was wearing the jacket. He stood at the back of their house, waiting for her to join him. She approached him slowly, and his heart felt like shattering to a million pieces at what he is going to do. He will hurt her, that is for sure.  


But he has to – in order to keep her away. To keep her safe.  


He does not deserve her.  


He’s seen how much it takes its toll on her – this relationship he has with her. True, she is always smiling and happy when they’re together. He is too; she is the only thing in this world that keeps Jughead sane in all the crazy of his life. For him, there has never been any truer destiny – he is in love with Betty. For some unfathomable reason, she is in love with him too. And it is that love for her that dictates he must step away – and leave her.  


Though, he never really did, truth be told. He was always on the sidelines. Always looking out for her. Eyes peeled for anything that might endanger her. Ears always alert to catch whatever movement or plan the Serpents may have against the Riverdale folks. He’s even closer now to learning who is behind Fred’s death – though, if his hunch is correct, no one will be happy with the truth.  


Yes, he never really left. He just went undercover.  


He never really is a Serpent. He just needed the temporary safety blanket the jacket provides.  


-o0o-  


Today, she might be gone for good. And try as he might, he cannot let her go, not without really saying goodbye. So Jughead trudged along the familiar cobblestone steps of the school he used to love, the school which held a great many fond memories of his childhood, and innocence and dreams.  


And he saw her. There at the podium – where she had delivered the Jubilee speech – stood Betty. His heart jumped to his throat, all his muscles twitching to run to her, hold her, and kiss her.  


She caught his eyes – as she started her speech.  


-o0o-  


Betty took a deep breath, and scanned the room. She’s never been nervous before in front of a crowd. To be fair, those were when she is making addresses and speeches. But tonight is different. For she will pour her heart out, one last time, and pray to the heavens above, that tomorrow will be different for her – and for him. If he can only hear the words she will say tonight.

She let her eyes roam. And she caught sight of a familiar beanie, staring at her from where he stood beside the wooden doors of the stadium. Her eyes swam with emotions, and never once letting go of his gaze, she let the words flow out of her, and through to him.

-o0o-

> "Where should we go?"
> 
> We walked on the same path,  
>  Dreamt the same dreams,  
>  Built one world where  
>  Only the two of us lives.  
>  We shared the same hopes,  
>  Feared the same pains,  
>  Drowned ourselves in the  
>  Same fantasies.  
>  Hand in hand,  
>  We took this long road.  
>  We waited for each other.  
>  Our steps just complement.  
>  Until we come to a point  
>  Where the road splits in two.  
>  You see my feet and body..  
>  You guess I'm already tired.  
>  Although I still want  
>  To continue on walking.  
>  And you made the decision without  
>  Asking me anything  
>  Therefore, I shall ask you now.

A deep breath, eyes locked into his, her final phrase, directed to the boy she loves with all her heart - 

> "Where should we go?"

-o0o-

The following day, Betty woke up with a new purpose. She stepped out into the front foyer of their house, her luggages in tow. She kissed her mom and dad goodbye, hugged Veronica like there’s no tomorrow, and pecked Archie on the cheeks. Kevin was there last minute, and he pulled Betty into a hug, lifting her off the ground, and handing her a heavy envelope with their childhood pictures in it.

Betty’s leaving Riverdale, and she will start life anew. She knows it, and she can feel it deep in her. Things will definitely be different this time around. She does not shed any more tears.

-o0o-

Jughead waits patiently as the train comes to a full stop. The dispatcher announces their arrival, and he cannot be anymore impatient to step out. 

This is it. The moment he had been waiting for. Free from all the Serpents. Free from all the scrutiny. Free to be himself, and away from all the pain.

He steps out into a new beginning. 

And into the arms of Betty Cooper – for that night after he heard her poem, he knew that he will go wherever she says they’ll go.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments are always, always welcome. Thanks a heap!


End file.
